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Antenatal tests

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Original poster

Harmony prenatal test - anyone know about it

830 replies

RTchoke · 29/10/2012 05:41

today I am having a new kind of prenatal test called Harmony. It's non-invasive and seems to just be a new kind of blood test plus the regular nuchal scan but it's much more accurate than the traditional nuchal blood test. Apparently it's nearly as accurate as a CVS but without any risk.

I'm the only person I know who is having this test and nobody else seems to have heard of it let alone have been offered it. I just wondered if others have and knowledge of it and how accurate it is.

OP posts:
Tasmina · 12/03/2013 20:47

Hi,

I was just wanted to say that this thread has been brilliant in helping me cope over the last 2 weeks.

12 days ago I received a risk of 1 in 8 for Downs due to low PappA. My scan was good but my bloods were out. I'm 42.

I have had 6 miscarriages, including losing twins at 12 weeks last October, so I was afraid of having invasive testing. Thanks to this thread I found out about the Harmony test, and I managed to get an appointment at ThisIsMy in Manchester 9 days ago.

Today I received my results which gave me a revised really low risk of 0.01%.

I just wanted to share my story as I know reading everyone elses experiences, it has helped me get through this time.

Lilythepink3 · 12/03/2013 21:05

Thanks Lemon, have been feeling so nauseous with nerves so was so nice to eat my dinner without feeling like I need to be sick! I think I can finally release the bump from my very tight clothes & get the maternity clothes out. Am 16 weeks so will be nice to tell people now.

Hi BadMissM, congratulations on your result, is amazing to go from 1 in 15 to 1 in 10,000! If I ever get pregnant again I will save my pennies from day one to pay for harmony, don't think I could go through the fear again!

Lilythepink3 · 12/03/2013 21:16

Hi tasmina, congratulations! I also received my result from Manchester today, I nearly jumped out my skin when Judith called. They said there were just 2 ladies who had done the test with them so I think our blood made the journey together!

I have also suffered from miscarriage & twin loss, it is so hard to get past those negative experiences so it is such a relief to get good news in a pregnancy!

Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy.

Tasmina · 12/03/2013 21:44

Thanks Lily. Judith said I was only the 2nd blood test they'd done, so you must have been the 1st.

Its such a relief. I wasnt expecting to hear until at least the end of the week. I'm so happy we both managed to get good results.

Good luck with your pregnancy too.

Gatorade · 12/03/2013 22:20

Congratulations Lily and Tasmina, great results, I'm delighted for you both.

LemonPeculiarJones · 13/03/2013 09:51

Congratulations Tasmina! Great news Smile

Tasmina · 13/03/2013 19:33

Thanks Gatorade and Lemon. I finally feel like I can start to relax and enjoy this pregnancy Smile

BadMissM · 14/03/2013 18:54

Congrats to Lily and Tasmina!!! I didn't know they did it in Manchester (would have saved me 2 x 600 mile round trips....)

Jane1984 · 18/03/2013 21:42

Hi does anyone know of any places in the west midlands that do these tests? Would be so much easier than travelling to London....Ta

LemonPeculiarJones · 18/03/2013 22:15

Hi Jane

I don't know but a good place to try for info is the ARC helpline (Antenatal Results and Choices). The number is 0845 077 2290.

elaine0612 · 20/03/2013 15:29

Try Midlands Ultrasound and Medical Services in Birmingham, I think they offer it. Best of luck

Jane1984 · 22/03/2013 23:06

So what is the totat cost for the harmony and nuchal??

Gatorade · 23/03/2013 17:30

Hi Jane, at the FMC I paid £180 for the nuchal and £400 for the Harmony test, £580 in total.

frogchops · 24/03/2013 09:42

Hello, have come across this thread in the hope that someone can offer advice....have been given a 1:140 chance of downs and am in a horrible position wondering about amnio/harmony etc. I know harmony is the obvious choice but cost is a big factor. It's upsetting me that I can't afford to just do this without thinking, but I'm arming myself with all the info. Firstly does anyone know of a closer clinic with does the same or similar test as FMC London?im in the midlands. Any info u have re costs would be great, I'm going out of my mind :-(

RufousBartleby · 24/03/2013 14:00

Hello Frog - MUMS in Solihull Birmingham definitely do it:

mums.me.uk/nipt-non-invasive-prenatal-testing/

Agree it is terribly expensive. If you do decide to go for it they are a fantastic clinic though.

BadMissM · 24/03/2013 17:15

That said, worked out cheaper for me to go to London twice to the FMC than to go locally. I paid £180 for everything at the FMC, plus 2 x train fares to London....

BadMissM · 24/03/2013 17:16

Just looked at MUMS prices...owch! So, if you can get it for £180 at FMC even with train fares, would be cheaper. I'd ring the FMC and see if you come within their guidelines for having it at £180....

frogchops · 24/03/2013 17:29

But at fmc its not £180 its £400 plus £180. Isn't it,?

Gatorade · 24/03/2013 19:54

I'm sorry you have found yourself here Frog, good luck with whatever you decide to do.

For what it's worth I think you would be too late for FMCs 'deal' even if it is still running as I imagine you are over ten weeks as you already have your risk score.

One thing to consider is whether or not you would feel better if you went somewhere like the FMC or MUMS and simply had a more detailed scan which factored in more variables, potentially resulting in a reduced overall risk (although by way of warning mine went the opposite way and I subsequently had the Harmony test, luckily getting the all clear). You potentially could the avoid having to have the Harmony test.

Another factor is what you would do if the results came back positive for DS, I went for the Harmony as I was leaning towards continuing with the pregnancy either way and therefore felt even stronger about wanting to avoid invasive treatment but felt I needed to know. I had continued with a previous pregnancy after a DS diagnosis but sadly our little one didn't make it to term.

I wish you all the best in this hard situation

frogchops · 24/03/2013 20:09

What do they call a more detailed scan, I'm looking at the price lists and I'm not sure which one i would need. Not sure either which is suitable at 14weeks. The harmony test is out due to money issues but if a more detailed scan showed other problems or increased risk, I would go for amino. I'm thinking of asking my mw if there's anything I can have on nhs to get a bit more clarity.... I'm sure shell say no as this would have been offered to me by now surely?

BadMissM · 24/03/2013 20:25

Frogchops If you go to FMC at 10 weeks, they do scan, then nuchal scan/harmony for £180 altogether. I'd also check around as different places seem to offer it at vastly different prices...

Gatorade · 24/03/2013 20:32

A lot (but not all) of NHS scans don't take into consideration soft markers (e.g. Nasal none presence) whereas the majority of credible private clinics such as the FMC do factor these into their risk assessment. It is however worth noting that soft markers are a slightly controversial as some researchers are not sure if they are reliable enough to factor into assessments, although the vast majority of medical research papers I have read do support the inclusion of them in assessments.

I suggest you phone the FMC for a chat to see what they could offer and if it would help you. You also should check what was factored into your own NHS scan with your midwife.

You are in a difficult situation which my consultant described as 'no mans land' where your risk is not ridiculously high and potentially lower than the miscarriage risk of a CVS or Amnio (by contrast my first pregnancy was 1 in 3 and I couldn't bring myself to have an amino with a 1 in 68 in my third pregnancy).

frogchops · 26/03/2013 13:02

I think I've decided to have a marker scan done privately before I decide on amnio. They say it can reduce risk by no more than 3 times though so my maximum would be 1:420 at best. I know that maybe markers aren't the most reliable but I'm hoping they will either make me feel better or convince me of amnio.

Diege · 26/03/2013 14:58

I can confirm that the fetal midecine centre's harmony/nuchal deal ofor £180 is still on. Rang this morning to book alongside my already pre-booked nuchal and they squeezed me in early next weds morning (10 weeks plus 5).
The results from the harmony will be back so I'm told by the day of my nuchal scan 2 weeks later. I'm told they take bloods with the nuchal too. Just wondering why there's a need for bloods (and indeed nuchal) if the harmony has come back by then? Confused. I'm presuming it's so they have data to compare the accuracy of both methods? (and hence why they offer the deal in the first place?)

frogchops · 26/03/2013 15:38

Maybe it's because I'm 14+4 that I can't have this? When I called they said it would be £400 plus £150 for scan???